Transmission-line connector.



R. A. BECKER.-

TRANSMISSION LINE CONNECTOR.

APPLICATION msn Nov.27,191e.

Patented 1311.1, 191s.

l ug l.

I l 4 4 ij gg] Y :j Z 5 16 Q V l Y Z0 earns earner orina BUBEBT A. BECKER, 0l? POUGHKEEPSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 CHARLES TREMAIN,

l 0F POUGHKEEPSM, NEW YORK. l

TRANSMISSION-LENE CONNECTOR.

aesinet, c

peciiloatzlon ci? Lettere Patent.

Patented danc il, 19118,

Application tiled November 27, 1916. Serial No. 133,634.

To al? whom t may conce/m.'

Be it known that l, ROBERT A. Buehne, a citizen of the United States, residing at Poughkeepsie, in the county of Dutchess and State of N ew York, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in rllransmission-Line Connectors, of which the following is a specication.

ln the construction of electric transmission lines, and particularly those designed to convey currents of relatively high tension, it is customary to employ spans between the supporting poles or towers of considerably greater length than those normally found in low tension installations.,

l/Vith the existence of such a conditiomit is obvious` that the longitudinal tension upon the respective lines due to weight oi the span is sucient to tax the ingenuity oi i engineers when designing a connector for the purpose of uniting the ends of adjacent lengths of cable.

This is particularly true when the conlector is to be of that type in which the union oi the two ends is with their axes of symmetry in alinement, with which no solder or similar joining material is used, and when it is desired to preserve a condiwherein the respective ends upon brealrug the joint will be the same as before uniting, or without showing mutilation ot any sort.

The object of this invention, therefore, a" been to provide a device which, while he simplest possible construction consistwith great strength, will e'nect the del c. union with the required degree oi eci ucy in possessing high conductivity, and

" every way be equal to, and capable of YJ llling, the most enacting demands of the rice.

With these facts in mind, the invention in its preferred form ci embodiment has been made to comprise the various details construction and possess numerous advantages in its operation, as partially covered by the `following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which-Figure l is an elevation of one :torm of the device; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section oi the samegA Fig. 3 is an elevation of a modiiied Storm of the device shown in Fig. l; and llig. d is a longitudinal section oii the torni shown in Fig. 3.

Referring particularly to ltigso l and 2' of the drawings, the preferred forni of the invention comprises a member 1, provided with longitudinal, axially extending, reduced externally threaded portions 2 and 3, the latter oi which is provided with a central inwardly tapering aperture e, leading into a bore 5 which extends throughout the full length of said member.

Upon the extension 2 is adapted to be screwed an internally threaded cap 8, provided with a tapering bore 9 in which is positioned a ring l0, having an axial bore ll and longitudinally split at l2, to make its radial expansion and contraction readily accomplished, while the outer surface ot Vits walls taper to substantially conform to the tapering bore 9 ot said cap, said ring normally coperating with the end of the said extension 2 of the member l.' Y

.el member l5 is internally threaded at one end to cooperate with the extension 3 oi the member l, and reduced at 16 and externally threaded to receive the cap 17, which is similar to the cap S, and adapted to receive the contracting ring 18, which in turn isV similar to the ring 10. rlFhe central portion oisaid last-named member is provided with an inwardly tapering bore 19, in which is lpositioned a third ring 20, normally cooperating with a fourth ring 24, positioned es in an 'inwardly tapering bore within the extension 3 ofthe member l.

ln the operation of this invention, the respective interengaging members l and l5, together with the caps 8 and l?, are assembled and loosely screwed together in the relative positions shown with the respective tapering contractible rings situated as indicated. 'lhe opposite ends 2a and 25 of two wires, cables, or the lilre, are then inserted substantially equal distances intol the device until they preferably entirely meet. Then the two intermediate members are preferably screwed together, which action forces the central pair loi rings into their lo@ respective tapering bores and contracts them about the end portions of said cables.

When this has been accomplished, the two caps are screwed into place, thus contracting the extreme rings by their coperation with the end faces of the respectively adjacent intermediate members, ln this way a bond is obtained which causes a cable to part at any ,other 4oint rather than within the connector, while the conductivity is so high il@ of two wires or cables are inserted even with the passage of extremely high currents of electricity, over and above that which the outside portions of the cable may experience. If it is notv objectionable to have the said cables twist during the joining of the two inner members, the outer caps may be secured in place rst, in which case the ends of the cables are more rmly forced together in a form of cold weld.

In the form of the device shown in Figs. 3 and Il a member 25 is axially apertured at 26, the same tapering in one'direction and adapted to receive a gripping ring 27, while the end portions of said member surround internally threaded enlargements of said first aperture, one of them receiving a plug 28, which in turn is provided with an outwardly tapering aperture 29 in which is located a second gripping ring 30, at its larger end cooperating with the adjacent inner wall of the said member 25.

Another member 28 has a reduced end portion 29 providedl with an axially extending tapering bore 30 adapted to contain a third contra'ctible gripping member 31. The aperture in the opposite end of the said member is enlarged and internally threaded at 32 to receive an externally threaded plug 33, provided with an outwardly tapering aperture 34 in which is located a fourth gripping member 35, adapted to cooperate with the adjacent wall of the said member 28.

As in the case of theiirst form of the invention, in assembling this device the ends from the opposite extremities and the central adjacent members are screwed together until the said cables are positively gripped to the utmost possible extent. rIhen the outer plugs are turned up, thereby additionally gripping the cables with the outer gripping contractible rings, with the same result as hereinbefore described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A pair of interlocking members, gripping means within said members, members adapted to be secured to the opposite ends instaat site ends of said pair, and gripping means within each of said last-named members.

3. A pair of interlocking members, gripping means within each of said members,

actuated by the joining of said first members, members adapted to be secured to the opposite ends of said pair, and gripping means actuated by the joining of said lastnamed members to said pair.

4. A pair of interlocking members provided with oppositely tapering bores, tapering `contractible means within each of said bores and ooperating with each other as said members are joined together, members adapted to be joined to the opposite ends of said iirst members and being provided with outwardly tapering bores, and tapering contractible means within each of said bores and cooperating with the adjacent walls of said iirst members as the latter said second members are joined.

5. A pair of members joined together in threaded relation, gripping means within each of said members actuated by the screwing together of said members, caps adapted to be screwed upon the opposite ends of said rst members and gripping means within each of said caps and contracted by the joining of said caps to said members.

6. A pair of members joined together in threaded cooperation and provided with tapering bores, cooperating tapered gripping means within said bores, and actuated by the joining of said members, caps provided with tapering bores and adapted to be screwed upon the opposite ends of said members, and tapered gripping means Lwithin said last-named bores and operative to contract upon joining said caps to said members.

lin testimony whereof l have aiiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LAURENCE E. Srmawoon, 4ANNA Gr. W. DAYLEY. 

